Featured News

Relief to restaurants, bars & clubs to help workers a top priority in House Democratic legislative package

Rep. Jake Wheatley

News Center

Wheatley and Gainey support legislation to protect pets from being left unattended in cars

(Dec 08, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley, Rep. Edward C. Gainey

HARRISBURG, Dec. 8 – State Reps. Jake Wheatley and Ed Gainey, both D-Allegheny, today joined Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Michael Vick at a news conference to promote legislation designed to stop the practice of leaving pets unattended in motor vehicles. Wheatley said that under the bill, known as the Motor Vehicle Extreme Heat Protection Act, it would be a summary offense to confine a dog or cat in a motor vehicle under conditions that jeopardize the pet’s health. “People often leave their pets in hot cars thinking they will be quick but it doesn’t take long for the inside of a car to reach an unsafe high temperature,” Wheatley said. “This legislation is aimed at protecting pets and preventing a tragedy, and I commend Michael Vick for leading the charge to make this proposal a reality.” Wheatley noted that on an 80-degree day, the temperature inside a car can reach 99 degrees in just 10 minutes, and 114 degrees within 30 minutes. He added that animals do not sweat like humans do, so they have no way to cool themselves down in hot conditions, causing irreversible organ damage, heat stroke, brain damage and, in extreme cases, death. Under the legislation, H.B. 1516 , a police officer or other public safety professional or humane officer would have the authority to remove the dog or cat from the unattended motor vehicle if they believe the animal is suffering and is endangered, after a reasonable search for the vehicle Read more

 

Wheatley: Lights On After School

(Oct 21, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

Pa. state Rep. Jake Wheatley thanks the House of Representatives for their unanimous approval of his resolution designating October 22, 2015, as "Lights on Afterschool Day" in Pennsylvania. Read more

 

Wheatley Community Appreciation Day

(Sep 14, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

Pa. state Rep. Jake Wheatley discusses the goals of his 13th annual Community Appreciation Day celebration. This is the signature event of his Health and Wellness Weekend, which promotes healthy lifestyles for his constituents. Read more

 

Wheatley Literacy Initative

(Sep 09, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

Pa. state Rep. Jake Wheatley joined community leaders to highlight an initiative of the Pittsburgh Brashear High School’s construction shop class to encourage reading and literacy throughout the city. Read more

 

Wheatley: Thanks for participating in Health and Wellness Weekend events

(Sep 09, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 14 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, today thanked all of the residents of the 19th Legislative District, event sponsors, volunteers and vendors who participated in his third annual Health and Wellness Weekend. The event consisted of a variety of interactive events designed to increase health awareness and motivate participants to live an active, sustainable and healthier lifestyle. "Thank you to everyone who joined us for this past weekend," Wheatley said. “These events were all a great success and I am already looking forward to next year’s Health and Wellness Weekend.” The festivities began Friday with a free day for families at the Thelma Lovette YMCA. On Friday evening, the Opening Night Reception at the Blue Line Grill featured a presentation on financial freedom. Saturday morning began with the 5K UPHill Walk/Run at Freedom Corner in the Hill District. After the race, Wheatley hosted his 13th annual Community Appreciation Day at Kennard Field, which featured free food, children’s activities, line dancing, and employment resource center, live local entertainment, free prize giveaways and much more. On Sunday, the Thelma Lovette YMCA hosted a Health Expo that offered health screenings, vendors, cooking demonstrations, children’s obstacle course, equipment and class orientations, a live DJ, a mural painting for families and kids, and free giveaways. “This fun-filled weekend Read more

 

Wheatley highlights literacy initiative at Brashear High School

(Sep 09, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 9 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, and community leaders highlighted the “Little Free Libraries” initiative of the Pittsburgh Brashear High School’s construction shop class during a discussion and tour at the high school on Wednesday. “The ‘Little Free Libraries’ came out of an idea from students at Brashear High School,” Wheatley said. “The students are in the construction program and they wanted to take their education to the next level so they started a program that not only helps them but benefits the broader community. I am thrilled to recognize and support these positive activities from our youth.” To encourage reading and literacy, Brashear students, working with parent organizer Debra Smallwood, designed and built bird house-sized book cases where books are shared, read, borrowed and replaced by members of the community. During the tour, students showcased their work and explained how the libraries were constructed and the various opportunities offered in their technical education construction class. Wheatley and other area lawmakers – state Reps. Dom Costa, Paul Costa, Dan Frankel and Ed Gainey – are housing libraries in their local constituent services offices. Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto also is hosting a library at the City-County Building. ### Read more

 

Wheatley: 'Save the dates' for Health and Wellness Weekend events

(Jul 30, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

PITTSBURGH, July 30 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, will host a Health and Wellness Weekend Sept. 11-13, with an array of interactive events designed to increase health awareness and motivate participants to live an active, sustainable and healthier lifestyle. "I urge everyone to save the dates for these events and join us for a fun, informative, and empowering weekend of events that will provide exposure to new concepts and resources that promotes a healthier, sustainable lifestyle," Wheatley said. On Friday, Sept. 11, the festivities will begin with a free day for families at the Thelma Lovette YMCA. On Friday evening, Wheatley and other participating organizations will host an Opening Night Reception at the Blue Line Grill. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Wheatley will participate in the 5K UPHill Walk/Run, culminating with Wheatley's annual Community Appreciation Day featuring free food, children’s activities, line dancing, and employment resource center, live local entertainment, free prize giveaways and much more. Community Appreciation Day will be held at Kennard Field, off Reed Street between Kirkpatrick and Soho streets in the Hill District. On Sunday, Sept. 13, the Thelma Lovette YMCA will host a Health Expo offering health screenings, vendors, cooking demonstrations, children’s obstacle course, equipment and class orientations, a live DJ, a mural painting for families and kids, and free giveaways. More information about Read more

 

Wheatley votes to advance property tax relief

(May 13, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

PITTSBURGH, May 13 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, released the following statement today following the House passage of property tax relief legislation: “Passage of House Bill 504 is a first step in what I hope will be our true commitment to the citizens of Pennsylvania to bring significant property tax relief. I do not believe Representative Saylor’s proposal provides the final solution, but I am encouraged by the bipartisan support, and believe that we will be able to address this a meaningful way. “As we move forward through the legislative process, I look forward to further negotiations on this issue with my colleagues in the House and the Senate, as well as Governor Wolf. Together, I believe we can reach a consensus that will provide significant property tax relief in a fair and equitable manner, while also addressing the many other challenges facing the commonwealth, including a major structural deficit and restoring funding to our schools after years of education cuts.” ### Read more

 

All children have a right to a quality education

(Apr 27, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

Op-Ed I recently read http://triblive.com/opinion/ericheyl/8194379-74/wilkinsburg-district-students regarding the tragic situation the children in Wilkinsburg School District have found themselves facing through no fault of their own. The Wilkinsburg school board has determined that they can no longer adequately provide the necessary resources to educate our children and are reaching out to surrounding school districts asking for help. They aren't trying to hide from their issues and they aren't trying to cover anything up, they are simply facing the realities of our inequitable funding system, our outdated educational delivery model, and the burden of being poor and a child of color within a region that seems to believe these students deserve whatever they are getting. While Mr. Heyl and some of his readers may find humor in the current tragedy that is unfolding around the education of our children, especially our children of color, I believe this is just another example of the urgency of finding a real solution to inequitable funding and true reform to our educational delivery system. At the end of the day, we either believe each and every child has the right to a quality education or we do not. If we believe that they do, then we should not make light of the fact that far too many of our children are not receiving a quality education simply because of their zip codes and economic and racial make-up. We shouldn't laugh but we should be angered! State Read more

 

Wheatley urges Desert Shield/Desert Storm vets to apply for bonus

(Mar 17, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

HARRISBURG, March 17 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, today reminded his fellow veterans of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm that they qualify for a special one-time payment in honor of their service. To qualify for the bonus, veterans must have served on active duty in the Persian Gulf Theater of Operations between Aug. 2, 1990 and Aug. 31, 1991. “This bonus is intended to honor those who volunteered and fought in the first Gulf War to liberate Kuwait and force Saddam Hussein’s troops back to Iraq,” said Wheatley, a U.S. Marine combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm who received the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal. “I urge my fellow veterans who served in these operations to apply today so they don’t miss out on this 'thank you' for their service.” The program pays $75 per month for qualifying, active-duty service members, up to a $525 maximum. The deadline to apply is Aug. 31. For personnel whose death was related to illness or injury received in the line of duty in operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm, there is an additional $5,000 available to the surviving family. Service members who were declared prisoners of war may also be eligible for an additional $5,000. So far, more than 11,000 Persian Gulf veterans have applied for the bonus program since its start in 2008. Pennsylvania’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is Read more

 

Wheatley: Budget proposal good step for Pennsylvania

(Mar 04, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

HARRISBURG, March 3 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, Democratic chairman of the House Finance Committee, said today that Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposal is a good first step in crafting a budget to move Pennsylvania forward. Wheatley said the governor’s proposal addresses the projected $2.3 billion structural deficit, increases funding for education and includes a plan to improve the state’s business climate. These elements are all part of the governor’s commitment to create jobs that pay, schools that teach and government that works. "The Finance Committee will play a crucial role in this year’s budget process due to the significant tax policy changes being proposed," Wheatley said. "I look forward to working on all of these proposals when they get to my committee." Those tax changes include an increase in the sales tax from 6 percent to 6.6 percent and an increase in the cigarette tax of $1 per pack, from $1.60 to $2.60. The plan would also implement a tax on the extraction of natural gas and a tax on smokeless tobacco and cigars. In addition to increasing education funding by $2 billion over four years, the governor wants to provide $3.8 billion in local tax relief for homeowners, renters, individuals and businesses in the form of property tax relief, wage tax relief and expanded rent rebates. The governor also aims to address the state's pension funding challenge with a multi-faceted strategy Read more

 

Wheatley invites minority, women and disadvantaged business owners to the Capitol for Lobby Day

(Feb 19, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

HARRISBURG, Feb. 19 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, invites owners of minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged businesses to the state Capitol for his annual Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Businesses Lobby Day on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Wheatley said the business leaders will lobby for Wheatley's H.B. 85 , which is designed to improve the participation of minorities, women and the disadvantaged in state contracts and purchasing. The day’s schedule includes: 10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. - Registration at the Capitol Media Center (Room 1 East Wing). 10:20 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. - Press Conference in Capitol Media Center. 10:45 a.m. - Lobby Day Participants will be recognized on House floor. 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. - Luncheon in Rep. Wheatley’s office (Room 36 East Wing). 12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Participants visit legislators to lobby for H.B. 85. Wheatley said his bill would level the playing field for small businesses to compete with larger businesses for state contracts. "Small businesses need our support to help them survive and eventually thrive in the marketplace,” Wheatley said. “My bill includes things we can agree to, on a bipartisan basis. In fact, similar legislation has already passed the House unanimously in the past, so I am hopeful we can get my bill to the governor’s desk this session.” ### Read more

 

Wheatley named minority chairman of Finance Committee

(Jan 07, 2015) Rep. Jake Wheatley

HARRISBURG, Jan. 7 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, was sworn in Tuesday to his seventh term representing Pittsburgh's 19th Legislative District and will begin serving in the key post of minority chairman of the House Finance Committee.  Wheatley was appointed to the chairmanship, his first, by House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny. The Finance Committee reviews legislation related to finance and taxation and its jurisdiction includes the Department of Revenue. "I thank Leader Dermody for entrusting me with the important Finance Committee chairmanship. In November, Pennsylvanians voted by nearly a 10-point margin to change direction with Governor-elect Tom Wolf, and I look forward to working with him and legislators from both parties to address the challenges facing our state, including the $2 billion deficit, the need to restore massive school funding cuts and our rank of 50th in job creation," Wheatley said. "I also plan to continue working on priorities such as including minority- and women-owned businesses in state contracts, providing teachers with a tax credit for school supplies they buy with their own money and providing first-time drug offenders the same opportunity that first-time DUI offenders have to get to and from work, school and medical treatments." Wheatley was first elected in 2002 to represent the 19th Legislative District, which includes historic Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as Read more

 

Hope for Hannah legislation becomes law

(Dec 28, 2014)

Pennsylvania's children have a new protection thanks to Hannah's Law, named after Hannah Ginion of Bristol Township, who suffered from the rare genetic disorder called Krabbe disease. Hannah passed away on Dec. 28, 2014. Read more

 

Beware IRS phone scams

(Nov 29, 2014)

Recently, my office received information about phone calls received statewide in which an individual claimed to be from the IRS and demanded payment on taxes owed. Please be aware – this phone call is a scam, and the IRS will NOT initiate first contact with you on the phone about taxes owed. Always be wary of unsolicited phone calls in which an individual claims to represent a business or government entity and aggressively demands payment. The IRS does not operate this way and will always send official correspondence through the mail to make its first contact with you. Read more

 

HEROIN: What you need to know about Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan Law

(Nov 24, 2014)

Landmark legislation passed during the 2013-14 Legislative Session now allows first responders, including law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS or other organizations the ability to administer a medication known as naloxone, a life-saving opioid-overdose antidote. The law also allows individuals such as friends or family members who might be in a position to help a person at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose to obtain a prescription for naloxone. Additionally, Act 139 provides immunity from prosecution for those responding to and reporting overdoses. Read more

 

In the News: Dept. of Human Services name change better reflects mission

(Nov 24, 2014)

House Bill 993, which renamed the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare as the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, was signed into law as Act 132 during the 2013-14 Legislative Session. According to advocates for the change, renaming the department was long overdue, and as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, the name change better reflects the department’s mission. Read more

 

Do you need help paying heating bills?

(Nov 24, 2014)

As we get into the coldest months of winter, many people are worried about affording their increasing heating costs. If you or someone you know qualifies, my office could help you take advantage of a program set up to curtail high home heating bills. Read more

 

Apply for health insurance by Feb. 16

(Nov 23, 2014)

The open enrollment period for health care coverage is now underway. If you or someone you know is in need of health insurance, please consider visiting the federal Marketplace at www.HealthCare.gov. Applicants have until Feb. 16, 2015 to enroll. Everyone, no matter what age, needs health insurance. A random accident or unexpected illness could put you in danger of losing not only your good health but also your financial future. Read more

 

Sign up for the Do-Not-Call list

(Nov 22, 2014)

To register for the Pennsylvania and national do-not-call lists, visit http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/dnc.aspx or call 1-888-777-3406. Registration is free. There is a rolling enrollment; individuals may sign up at any time and the registration is good for five years. After that, you can re-enroll. And, signing up on Pennsylvania's list automatically adds those numbers to the national do-not-call list. Read more

 

Wheatley and Gainey support legislation to protect pets from being left unattended in cars
Dec 08, 2015

Wheatley: Lights On After School
Oct 21, 2015

Wheatley Community Appreciation Day
Sep 14, 2015

Wheatley Literacy Initative
Sep 09, 2015

Wheatley: Thanks for participating in Health and Wellness Weekend events
Sep 09, 2015

Wheatley highlights literacy initiative at Brashear High School
Sep 09, 2015

Wheatley: 'Save the dates' for Health and Wellness Weekend events
Jul 30, 2015

Wheatley votes to advance property tax relief
May 13, 2015

All children have a right to a quality education
Apr 27, 2015

Wheatley urges Desert Shield/Desert Storm vets to apply for bonus
Mar 17, 2015

Wheatley: Budget proposal good step for Pennsylvania
Mar 04, 2015

Wheatley invites minority, women and disadvantaged business owners to the Capitol for Lobby Day
Feb 19, 2015

Wheatley named minority chairman of Finance Committee
Jan 07, 2015

Hope for Hannah legislation becomes law
Dec 28, 2014

Beware IRS phone scams
Nov 29, 2014

HEROIN: What you need to know about Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan Law
Nov 24, 2014

In the News: Dept. of Human Services name change better reflects mission
Nov 24, 2014

Do you need help paying heating bills?
Nov 24, 2014

Apply for health insurance by Feb. 16
Nov 23, 2014

Sign up for the Do-Not-Call list
Nov 22, 2014